Tomato Rice/pulao

Tomato rice is simple and flavoured rice recipe marinated with tomato puree and cooked with vegetables of your choice. Tomato pulao is my favourite dish because it is cooked quickly and can also be cooked with left-over rice. The nice tangy flavour given by tomato sauce is the secret of this yummy tomato pulao. If you are having a time crunch or you are bored with cooking daily lunch and dinner, this tomato pulao is a saviour.

• 1 bowl Cooked basmati rice Take regular rice, if basmati rice not available
• ½ tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Rai/ Mustard seeds
• 2 large Onions cut in cubes
• 3 medium Tomatoes cut in cubes
• 1 Capsicum cut in cubes
• 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste/grated
• ½ cup Tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp Lal mirch powder/ Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Dhaniya powder/ Coriander powder
• 2 tbsp Pav bhaji masala
• 1 tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder
• Pinch of hing/asafoetida
• Vegetables of your choice I have taken ½ red bell pepper, ½ orange bell pepper, ½ cup peas
• Salt per taste
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

1. Heat the oil in a thick bottom wide pan or kadhai on a medium flame.
2. Add jeera and rai and saute till it splutters.
3. Add a tbsp of ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds.

4.Now, add cubed onions and cook it on medium flame till it turns translucent and tender.

5.Add cubed tomatoes and cook for few minutes till it turns soft.

6.Then add half a cup of tomato ketchup.

7.Now add all the spices, hing, haldi, red chilli powder, and pav bhaji masala. And, cover with a lid and cook for 2 mins on low flame.

8.Now, add salt, bell peppers and peas and cook for a few seconds.

9.Pour half glass of water in a kadhai and cook till it boils.

10.As it starts boiling, lower the flame and slowly add cooked rice and nicely mix all the ingredients.

11.Cover and cook for 5 - 6 mins. When the rice absorbs all the water, a nice colourful tomato pulao is ready.

12.Finally, garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and serve it with salad or raita.